The wind carried the ominous groan of the metal storm unleashed by the Duke of Iron across the entire city. The sky thrummed with a distorted divine resonance, as colossal fragments—bent bridges, shattered tower roofs, and warped slabs of steel—vibrated in midair, suspended as if by the Duke's will alone. His eyes glowed like twin violet flames, sparks whirling in the air around him. The blood-stained metal of his armor had long ceased to be armor; it was his flesh, his soul, his ambition.
"This… is my true form," the Duke growled, voice grinding like colliding steel. "Not even Petro's ghost could make me yield. Today marks the end of Kings."
King Valecar, trembling yet unbroken, drew in a sharp breath. Petro's ghost had vanished, but the wound it left—the fear—was the one thing the Duke could not endure. Valecar pressed a hand against his bleeding chest.
"You… will not win," he gasped. "This kingdom… is far beyond anything you can carve into raw metal."
A metallic laugh echoed across the ruined streets.
"The kingdom?" the Duke sneered. "To me, it is merely ore."
Before Valecar could respond, the sky split open. A jagged blue fissure carved itself across the air, and from it stepped Shadow. Darkness pooled under his feet as though the world itself bent to his presence; his black hair melted into the shadows, and arcs of dark energy flickered in his hands. Beside him, Elryia rushed to the King's side, her palms shimmering with radiant gold.
"Your Majesty, stay still," she said urgently. "I need to heal you."
Valecar raised his eyes. "Elryia… where is my daughter?"
"The Princess has entered the battlefield," Shadow replied, voice steady and grim. "And she is angrier than I have ever seen her."
A piercing scream tore through the streets. Princess Lyriana, wielding her father's old dagger, cut through a group of enchanted soldiers with movements fueled by fury. Violet light pulsed along the blade, matching the rage burning within her.
"Duke!" she shouted. "You will answer for everything!"
The Duke narrowed his eyes. "The Princess joins the fray. Brave… but foolish."
She lunged. The Duke curled his fingers and crushed two massive plates of metal into a single projectile before hurling it at her with devastating force. Before it could reach her, Shadow moved like a flicker of lightning.
"Shadow Aegis!"
A wall woven from abyssal shadow rose before the Princess, swallowing the metal whole. Shadow's eyes burned with a cold flame, reflecting the Duke's violet fury.
"Duke of Iron," he said. "I have heard much about you. You fall today."
The Duke regarded him with curiosity. "Shadow magic. It has been a long time since I have seen it."
Behind them, Elryia's healing light slowed the bleeding in the King's chest. Valecar's breathing steadied.
"Elryia… everyone is fighting. I cannot lie here."
"You cannot fight yet!"
"I have no intention of staying down."
He stood—slowly, painfully—and the clang of his armor rang across the streets. The rage in his eyes even made the Duke hesitate.
The Duke raised his arms wide. "Then show me, last of the Kings!"
He launched himself into the sky, the sheer force cracking the ground beneath him. Metal fragments swirled together, forging a colossal spear crackling with violet current.
Valecar charged forward. Shadow and Lyriana moved at his sides. Elryia gathered her magic behind them.
"Father," Lyriana whispered. "I'm with you."
"No. Stay back."
"No. This is my kingdom, too."
Valecar smiled, pride softening his hardened features.
The Duke hurled the spear downward. The shockwave shattered the street, collapsing buildings around them. Shadow grabbed Lyriana before the blast could hurl her into the rubble.
"Do not let go!" she shouted.
"I won't."
Elryia thrust her hands skyward.
"Sky Light!"
A descending pillar of golden radiance collided with the spear and halted it. The Duke's eyes widened.
"Little mage… your power is greater than I expected."
He raised his arms again. Behind him, hundreds of metal soldiers materialized, vibrating with violet sparks—an army born from the city's shattered remains.
Shadow stepped back. "This place will collapse."
But the Duke was already descending, commanding his soldiers forward.
"Annihilate them!"
The battlefield erupted.
Lyriana danced between enemies with merciless agility. Shadow released clouds of shadow smoke, disorienting the metal constructs. Elryia unleashed magical flames while the King crushed enemies with brutal blows fueled by royal fury.
But the Duke's power only grew.
Far away, Sabrina and Katherina monitored the device amplifying his strength.
"Power levels at ninety-five percent," Sabrina whispered, eyes alight. "He's approaching divine status."
Katherina trembled. "This could get out of control."
"Let it! He is unstoppable!"
Then the city center collapsed. The Duke drew every remaining fragment of metal upward—doors, pipes, armor, weapons—until the sky churned with steel.
Shadow's eyes widened. "What is he doing?!"
Lyriana's breath caught. "He's turning the entire city into a weapon…"
The Duke roared, chest blazing with violet flame.
"METAL STORM!"
Thousands of fragments aimed downward at once—like a divine punishment.
"Take cover!" Valecar yelled.
Shadow shielded Lyriana. Elryia created a barrier. The King braced his armor. But even combined, their defenses were failing.
And then—
A thunderous groan echoed above.
A Zeppelin broke through the clouds, its massive hull glowing as it absorbed the Duke's energy. Magic-draining runes lit up across its surface.
The Duke recoiled. "WHAT?! My power… is being drained?!"
In the control room, Sabrina panicked. "No! I can't stabilize the armor!"
Violet sparks flickered uncontrollably across the Duke's body.
"I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS!"
He shot into the sky—exposing himself.
Shadow seized the moment.
"Lyriana! Elryia! Now!"
Elryia summoned all her magic at once.
"Sky Light — Core Detonation!"
Shadow's chains wrapped around the Duke's leg.
Lyriana hurled her dagger with every ounce of strength in her body.
The three attacks converged—
—and the Duke's left arm tore off, the molten metal dissolving midair.
"AAAAARGH!"
The Zeppelin drained him faster.
"My Lord, flee!" Sabrina screamed.
The Duke, weakened and staggering, summoned his remaining soldiers. They encircled him, forming a metallic sphere. Slowly, they ascended—escaping into the dark sky.
"STOP HIM!" Shadow roared.
Lyriana raised her dagger. The King charged. But the Zeppelin's shield blocked their path.
The Duke vanished.
Silence engulfed the destroyed city.
Lyriana collapsed to her knees, breath shaking. "He escaped…"
"But he is weakened," Shadow said.
Elryia rushed to the King. "Your Majesty!"
Valecar's voice remained steady despite his wounds. "This war is not over. He will return."
Shadow stared at the empty sky. "And we will be ready."
---
Days Later — The Celebration
Valedria was rebuilding. Hammers replaced screams; magic replaced fire. But scars of the metal storm remained etched into the walls like black veins.
King Valecar declared a grand celebration in the Great Golden Square to honor Shadow and Elryia—the heroes whispered about across the kingdom.
On the morning before the celebration, the King inspected his restored armor. Princess Lyriana approached with a warm smile.
"The people are proud of you."
"A king is never relaxed," he replied softly. "But I am proud of you… and of them."
Elsewhere, Shadow sat alone in the palace courtyard, wearing a simple black tunic. Elryia stood beside him, fidgeting nervously.
"Shadow… this is a huge honor. The entire kingdom will watch us."
"I merely did my duty."
"Not duty," Elryia insisted. "Sacrifice."
Shadow's gaze darkened. "The Duke will return."
"When he does," Elryia said, "I will be beside you again."
"I know."
The Great Square overflowed with people. Music soared, magic lights filled the air. Children ran around gleefully.
When the palace gates opened, the crowd erupted:
"Long live the King!"
"Long live the Princess!"
"Shadow! Shadow!"
"Elryia! The Golden Mage!"
Shadow remained stoic. Elryia blushed.
The King raised his hands.
"People of Valedria! We endured one of the darkest days in our history. The Duke of Iron could have destroyed us—but we stand here today… because of two heroes."
He turned to Shadow.
"Shadow. You saved my daughter, my life, and this kingdom. You showed a courage even kings envy."
He placed a silver medal with a black stone around Shadow's neck.
"The Black Shield of Valedria—our highest honor."
The crowd roared. Shadow lowered his head.
"Your Majesty… I—"
"Accept it," Valecar said firmly.
Next, the King faced Elryia.
"Elryia. Daughter of Light. Your magic saved us. Your courage humbled us all."
He placed a golden medallion around her neck.
"The Shining Moon Seal of Valedria."
Tears streamed down her face. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Princess Lyriana stepped forward.
"I owe you both everything," she said quietly. "My father… my kingdom… my life."
The celebrations continued deep into the night.
But as the moon rose, Shadow quietly gazed upward.
"He will return."
Elryia joined him. "The Duke?"
"Yes."
Princess Lyriana overheard. "Then we will be stronger next time."
King Valecar nodded. "We have the Zeppelin. We have united forces. And we have you. If he returns—we will stop him."
Shadow exhaled. "I pray we are ready."
They stood beneath the moonlight as the people rejoiced.
Far away, hidden in the metallic darkness of distant ruins, a wounded figure breathed raggedly.
The Duke of Iron had fled.
But he had not been defeated.
And one day…
The metal storm would return.
Chapter 22 – THE END